Municipal Court

If your citation is eligible for processing through the Violations Bureau, you may appear before the Court Clerk prior to your scheduled court date to resolve the matter without seeing the judge.

Through the Violations Bureau, you may:

• Enter a plea of “No Contest” and either pay your fine in full or sign a payment agreement.

• Ask whether you qualify for Traffic School, which may allow your violation to be dismissed once completed.

• Submit a written explanation to the judge. Your letter must arrive before your scheduled court date, either by mail or by email to municourt [at] ci.carlton.or.us (municourt[at]ci[dot]carlton[dot]or[dot]us). After reviewing your letter and driving record, the judge may reduce your fine. You will be notified in writing of the judges decision and made aware of any reductions and amounts due at that time.  

• If your citation is for No Insurance or Failure to Carry Proof of Insurance, and you had valid insurance coverage at the time of the citation, bring proof to the Court Clerk prior to your court date. Be sure your documentation includes the policy’s effective dates. Upon verification, the charge will be dismissed.

If you wish to contest your citation, you may enter a plea of “Not Guilty” in writing, and your case will be set for trial. Before choosing this option, please contact the Court Office for additional information about the process.

Please allow five (5) days after receiving your citation before visiting City Hall to discuss payment or other options. This ensures your citation has been entered into the system for processing.

The Carlton Municipal Court offers several convenient ways to pay your citation. Payments must be received before your scheduled court date to avoid additional penalties or court action.

You may choose from the following options:

• In Person:
  Visit the Civic Center at 191 E. Main Street, Carlton, OR 97111 during regular business hours to make a payment by cash, check, money order, debit, or credit card.

• Payment Dropbox:
  If you are unable to come in during office hours, you may drop your payment (check or money order) and the yellow copy of your citation in the Payment Drop Box located to the left of the Civic Center's south side entrance.

• By Mail:
  Mail a check or money order—made payable to Carlton Municipal Court—along with the yellow copy of your citation to:
  Carlton Municipal Court
  191 E. Main Street
  Carlton, OR 97111

• Online:
  Use our secure online payment portal at cityofcarltonepay.merchanttransact.com.
  Before you pay online, please contact the Court Clerk to confirm your correct fine amount, case number, and payment details. Failure to do so may result in your payment not being linked to the correct citation or being returned to you.

If you have questions about your fine amount, payment arrangements, or eligibility for a payment plan, please contact the Court Clerk at (503) 852-7575.

If you are unable to attend your scheduled court date, you may request to reschedule one time as a courtesy. To do so, please contact the Court Clerk a minimum of 24 hours before your scheduled appearance.

Please note that this courtesy reschedule is available only once.
If you fail to appear a second time, a guilty by default judgment will be entered, which may include the maximum fine allowed by law and could result in the suspension of your driver’s license.

If you have questions about rescheduling or need assistance, contact the Carlton Municipal Court at (503) 852-7575 or visit 191 E. Main Street, Carlton, OR 97111 during business hours.

If you have received notice that your driver’s license has been suspended due to a Carlton Municipal Court citation, it usually means that a fine or court obligation was not satisfied by the required deadline.

To begin the reinstatement process:

• Contact the Carlton Municipal Court at (503) 852-7575 or visit 191 E. Main Street, Carlton, OR 97111 to determine what is owed or what steps remain to clear your case.

• Once your balance has been paid in full or your case has been resolved, the Court will notify the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that the suspension should be lifted.

• Please allow time for the DMV to process the Court’s clearance before your license is officially reinstated.

If your license was suspended for multiple reasons, you may also need to contact the Oregon DMV directly to confirm that all requirements have been met for reinstatement.

For assistance or questions, please reach out to the Court Clerk during regular business hours.

You do not need to submit your certificate. The Carlton Municipal Court contracts with UTurn-180, and they send completion certificates directly to the Court.

If you’d like to confirm that your completion has been received and recorded, contact the Court Clerk at (503) 852-7575. Please keep your personal copy or confirmation from UTurn-180 for your records.